Giants

For the first time in its short history, the Skylanders franchise faces a serious challenge. The game that was a pioneer in combining action figures and video games now faces a 600-pound gorilla with the launch of Disney Infinity in August. So how is Activision competing?

They’re building on the foundation that developer Toys for Bob laid out and coming out withSkylanders: SWAP Force. This time around, Vicarious Visions is at the helm and the team there improved on the engine they built for the series. SWAP Force features a graphical boost and new gameplay wrinkles for the characters, most notably the ability to jump.

The 2008 baseball season is looking pretty forgettable for the A’s and Giants, but, thanks to video games, that doesn’t mean you can’t change their fortunes with the push of a power button.

The newest opportunity to take one of them — or any team — to the fall classic arrives in the form of Konami and 2K Sports’ MLB Power Pros 2008 for the Wii. It’s the second stateside entry for this quirky-looking game, though the series has been around for 20 years or so in Japan. What sets this game apart are its super-deformed players, all of which eerily resemble their real-life counterparts.

Power Pros is easy to pick up and play despite the intimidating main screen menu. Practice modes help you learn the basics before moving on to a home run derby, exhibition game or one of its three season- and career-type modes. If you want to guide your favorite squad through a full season, create your own player to bring up to the show, or experience the life of an MLB player (well, sort of), it’s all here.

As arcadey as the game looks, there’s a huge amount of depth here. As you lead your team through a season, you can set practice schedules, buy new equipment, set strategies, manage finances and offer trades to your heart’s content.